Linked
by Khryseis
Summary: The two of them were connected at the soul, bound by a shared desire for freedom. Together, they were broken, raw, and needy; but it was together that they carved out their own destinies. In the end, when they dust cleared and the world stilled, they remained, indestructible and unshakeable. [Steven Stone x OC]
1. Chapter 1

Link ( _liNGk_ ):

 _Verb_

1\. To make, form, or suggest a connection with or between two things.

* * *

"I think that it's good you're getting out, Steven. A real good thing, I'd say."

The young man laughed in response to his father's statement. "Is this the reason you called? I'm not a shut-in, you know." He set his bag on a flat-topped boulder, then positioned his PokeNav against it. The last thing he wanted was for this prototype to fall into the lake below—the developers would throttle him.

"You don't look like one, that's for sure!"

Steven fought the urge to roll his eyes and instead took the time to inspect his appearance in the lake's reflection. When he realized his tie was crooked he fiddled with it, smoothing the silky fabric against the white shirt. Work wear wasn't the easiest to travel in—especially the pants, which were rather _form-fitting_ to his posterior, but he was getting used to it.

It would have been much easier to take a car, he realized, instead of going by foot. But it had been so long since he had been inside of the Petalburg Woods, so he decided to go by foot. Besides, he doubted that anyone would be out at six in the morning; it would be peaceful and relaxing, a sort of break before the rush of the day.

"I leave the office sometimes," he said. "Aren't I outside right now?"

"You left because of work, you workaholic!" His father's laughter buzzed through the PokeNav's receiver. "PR made a good call, though, having you advertise the company by taking the League Challenge. Pre-orders for the newest PokeNav are through the roof!"

"I am not a—!" Steven paused, realizing he couldn't really argue back. After all, he _did_ convert a portion of his office into a bedroom just so that he could cut out his commute to work. "I have my reasons," he said instead.

"You're twenty, boy. You should be trying to avoid adult responsibilities, not welcoming them with open arms."

"And exactly what do you think I was doing these last few years?"

Steven turned back to his reflection, running a hand through his hair. He had debated slicking it back for a while now, just so it was a little more professional looking, but in the end he decided to keep the same, only slightly messy hairstyle he adopted in his teens. He had given up a number of things within these past few months, so keeping his hair the same felt inconsequential.

"So, Steven, how far along are you? You left pretty early, so you should be out of the forest soon."

"Well…" Steven looked around for the wooden sign he had seen about ten minutes ago and, seeing the corner peek out from behind a tree, jogged over to it. "About a fourth of a mile," he said. "Though I'm not sure if distance means to the exit of the woods or to the actual city."

"Right. Oh, I know this is last minute, but could I get you to run an errand for me?"

Steven hesitated; his father's "errands" somehow always ended with him at dinner with a person of the opposite sex, usually with his father hoping that he'd become romantically attached.

"I'm not trying to set you up this time, Steven, I promise." Oh, _sure_. How many times had he heard those words come out of his father's mouth?

"Didn't you say that the last time I agreed to one of these 'errands' of yours?"

"I mean it this time!" His father said. "It's just a dinner with the CEO of a financing company..."

He recognized that tone. "And who else?" The dirt path Steven had been walking on became asphalt; if he squinted, he could see the exit. Not much longer until he was out.

"…and his daughter."

He debated hanging up. " _Dad_. What did I tell you about setting me up?"

"To not do it. But Steven—!"

"Not _now_ , dad." Steven stopped his brisk pace and leaned against a nearby tree. "I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but I'm sure I'm capable of getting my own dates." He glanced over at the exit one last time and caught a glimpse of a person sprinting inside the forest, going off the asphalt path. Curious and worried for their safety, Steven began to jog after them, if only so he could drag them back onto the path.

"That's only until they find out about the rock collection!"

"You mean _rare stone_ collection. If I were to be specific, I'd call it a—"

His father groaned loudly, interrupting him. "Steven, that's _exactly_ what I'm talking about!"

* * *

Just a few more feet.

She willed her legs to move faster, lungs to pump harder, as if pushing her body to its limits would edge out the dark images that loomed at the outskirts of her consciousness.

 _A dimly lit room; a metal table, a tray of sharp instruments_.

She willed herself to fly, fly… _fly_ , damn it!

 _Being held against her will. Purple liquid, thick like Combee honey._

At this point her lungs were burning, like she was inhaling fire. It didn't matter. She didn't dare stop, not even for a moment.

 _Needles breaking through her skin. Something burning; someone shouting._

Burn, she urged her lungs; burn so that the fires in her chest could turn her nightmares into ashes!

 _Sickly sweet poison that crawled down her throat._

The ground suddenly slipped out from under her feet, and she was tumbling, scraping against the earth. Curses escaped her lips.

 _That voice, crawling beneath her skin. "Titania."_

Finally, she stopped rolling. Shaky arms tried to lift her back onto her feet. But her body was tired, and her arms gave way and she collapsed onto the dirt.

She shut her eyes tight, feebly pushing back tears. Arceus, she was so _weak_.

"Are you okay?"

Hands gripped her arms, lifting her to her feet. Too weak to even brush the dirt out of her eyes, she allowed herself to be led by this passing stranger.

"Watch your step," she heard them say. They were whispering, as if she'd break if they spoke too loudly. "There's a large root." She still tripped over it anyways. The stranger caught her, helped her back onto her feet.

After a few moments, the stranger gently pressed down on her shoulders. "Sit," they said. She complied. Gentle hands tenderly wiped the dirt from her face; she didn't dare lift her eyes to look this person in the face.

A hand lifted her leg. A moment later, a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness your scrape doesn't look too serious." It still hurt, she thought to herself, the pain throbbing all along the length of her calf muscle.

Even when the stranger let go, her leg remained poised in the air. She felt like one of those wooden dolls, the ones with the adjustable limbs; if the circumstances were different she might have laughed.

The hand returns, gently rotating her leg. "This might sting a little." A gentle warning, followed by the smell of rubbing alcohol and another image—of a distorted face, of a syringe dripping with purple liquid.

" _This is going to sting. Try not to scream, Titania."_

Her vision went dark. Again, the nightmare she had shoved to the edge of her awareness clawed its way forward, sinking its talons deep into the marrow of her bones. She couldn't help her reaction—she screamed and jumped to her feet, tripping over herself as she scrambled away.

"Hey, wait!"

But she was already running again, disappearing into the cover of the trees.

* * *

Steven was excited about his upcoming battle. Even though it had only been in operation for six months, the Petalburg Gym had already proved itself to be one of the most difficult in the Hoenn circuit. Getting to the Leader was a challenge in itself, as the hand-picked gym trainers were past League qualifiers. But defeating the Gym Leader would be no easy feat, either—rumor has it that early on in his career he had been offered a spot on the Elite Four. Those who earned their badge (and they were relatively few) were shoo-ins for the Champion League.

Of course, Steven expected to be lumped into the few. He had no qualms about his strength as a trainer—he was considered a strong contender for Champion, even with only seven badges. The fact of the matter was that he was one of the strongest, if not the strongest trainer in Hoenn. Winning his eighth badge was inevitable, especially because his Steel- and Rock-types could deflect any move this normal-type gym could throw at him.

"All right," he said, exhaling deeply. "It's show time." Steven pulled the door open and walked into the lobby, expecting to see gym trainers awaiting the arrival of a challenger. But there was no one, not even a receptionist to man the desk (which itself was just a table with a swivel chair). Steven double-checked the hours of operation on his PokeNav—yes, the gym was open today. He wondered if they were out for an early lunch.

"Wait, _what_? You're kidding!"

The voice—a girl's—had come from the direction of the battle area. Steven, immediately assuming that the voice belonged to a gym trainer (or to the receptionist, at least), began to walk towards the source. He needed to have those battles within the next couple of hours—he was going to take the afternoon to look around Petalburg Woods for that screaming girl. He was a worried for her, if not a bit curious about her situation.

"What do you mean, 'you let everyone else go for the day'? Are you telling me that I have to handle every single trainer from now until closing— _by myself_?"

The door that led to the battle area was propped open with a wooden chair. From a distance Steven could see the man he recognized as the Petalburg Gym Leader standing on the field, his arms crossed over his chest. Steven thought he looked as imposing as he did in pictures and on TV.

"Titania," Steven heard him say, addressing the unseen girl, "you're the only one that hasn't met the quota yet—the one _you_ put into place, if you don't remember." The man sighed. "Besides, your grandparents are coming over, and we promised your mother that we'd close the gym early to help with the cooking. We're not pulling a 'Wallace' on you."

Steven understood the reference. Wallace was a close friend and another League contender, and the water-type specialist had once recounted the story to him. Apparently, all the Gym Trainers had come down with food poisoning except for Wallace (a bad case of sashimi; Wallace was vegetarian at the time) around peak trainer season. Instead of closing down the gym until more trainers were well, Wallace volunteered to take on their work—which meant he was battling from the moment the gym opened until closing, sometimes eight hours a day. It was only a few days, but Wallace had to take a month off just to let his Pokemon recuperate.

"I know, I know." Steven turned his attention back to the conversation. In the time it took for him to think of Wallace, the girl who had been speaking appeared in Steven's viewing window. His first thoughts were that she looked a lot like the Gym Leader—black hair that reached her shoulders; a stern, but clear gaze; a small mouth that curved downwards, giving the impression of a pout. Steven's second thought was that she was rather pretty.

The third thought came quickly, but the moment it was processed it blew the other thoughts out the window. Steven could be wrong. The girl he had seen this morning had been covered in twigs and leaves, and any exposed skin was raw and bleeding slightly; this one was too put together, too attracti…er, too _calm._ Though he hadn't been able to get a good look at the face of the girl—she had kept her head down, even when she fled screaming—Steven was 99% confident that the girl standing before him was the same girl he had met in the forest this morning.

Thank Arceus she looked all right. Steven pulled the door open, deciding that it was time to stop eavesdropping on their conversation and get back on schedule.

"Hello," he said, bowing slightly. "I hope I'm not interrupting, but I was hoping to schedule a battle."

The girl—Titania was her name, right?—recognized him immediately. "Steven Stone!" She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a once-over. Steven felt his face warm slightly at the stare.

"I was waiting for your challenge." When he turned he saw the Gym Leader with his hand outstretched. "I'm Norman Maple, the Gym Leader here. She - " he gestured to the girl with his chin; she, in turn, waved. " - is my daughter, Titania, and also a trainer here."

"Nice to meet you both," Steven said, taking Norman's hand and giving it a firm shake. "I came when you first opened, but the line to this gym was so long that I opted to save this gym for last."

"Well, I hope we're worth the wait." The bellowing laugh that came from Norman reminded Steven of his dad's. "Let me get you up to speed on how this gym works. Before you can challenge me, you have to battle one of my gym trainers, who all specialize in particular Pokemon stats—speed, attack, defense, et cetera. The least you have to do is impress them, but the easiest way to do that is to defeat them."

Steven nodded. "That's simple enough."

"Don't you think that's a little unnecessary?" Titania crossed her arms. "I mean, we know how _Steven Stone_ battles. League favorite, remember?"

"Even so, Titania, we can't show favoritism. Besides, this would help your quota."

"It's like you _want_ me to lose, dad."

"It's no problem for me," Steven added quickly. "I think that a quick win would be a good warm-up for my Pokemon."

He wondered if the provocation would slip past her. He said it quickly and lightly, as if to cut back on how arrogant it sounded, and non-trainers wouldn't think much of it, but any trainer with a competitive bone in their body would know his words were a challenge.

Case in point: Norman was clearly aware of his intent, looking on at the two of them with an expression Steven could only interpret as curious delight. When both men made eye contact with one another the older broke out into a knowing grin.

"A… _warm-up_?" Steven turned his gaze back to Titania, expectant for her reaction.

Oh, _boy_ , was he enjoying it. She was smiling—it was a beautiful smile, for sure—and if it weren't for the fact that the room temperature suddenly dropped thirty degrees Steven probably would have been a little more dazzled by it. There was no mistaking it: not only had she caught on to his challenge, she was ready to send him to the gates of the Distortion World to meet his maker.

"Right, I suppose you need a little… _thrashing_ ," she said, the words sounding as if they had been pushed out from between her teeth. "Allow me to give you the warm, Maple welcome."

* * *

Titania found a number of things satisfying: running in the Petalburg Woods, fresh cheesecake, and pushing her Pokemon to their limits. Today, she had to add one more thing to the list: Steven Stone's angry and frustrated face.

All the handsome, but with a dash of flustered.

"Eevee, follow up Quick Attack with Sand Attack!"

He looked like he wanted to throttle her, and while she couldn't blame him—Lairon was practically blind with all the sand flying around—it was just so _damn_ satisfying to watch him.

"Blow the sand away!" he said, crying out. "Give it a full-body Metal Sound!"

"Underground, Eevee! Dig!"

Titania stood her ground, trying her best not to fall flat on her back at the force of the sound wave, which might as well have been an attack. She already knew about Steven Stone as a trainer, but holy _Arceus_ , his Pokemon were insanely strong, even when operating at _half_ their power. Forget beating her dad—she was positive that he could become League Champion.

"Ah, I'm antsy," she muttered to herself. "Better end this. Eevee, knock 'em back! Last Resort!"

Lairon's armored head snapped backward, lifting the rest of its body into the air.

" _What_?" Steven Stone's surprise was to be expected—Eevee weren't known for their strength, and against the heavier Pokemon their attacks usually did no damage. Titania was aware of that…but she was _also_ aware of the power of surprise attacks. Paired with Last Resort, knocking back a behemoth of an iron lizard was a like blowing air at a pinwheel.

"Make Lairon go belly-up, Eevee!" She cried out. "Quick attack right to its center!"

"Send 'em flying! Iron Head, Lairon!"

It was too late for Eevee to dodge, even with Lairon being airborne. The impact of the heavy metal Pokemon on Eevee's frame sent the fox Pokemon flying across the gym and into the back wall of the arena.

Titania ran to check over Eevee's condition. "You all right?" Eevee growled then shook off the move, barking twice to indicate that it was still able to continue. Titania sighed. "If you're sure you want to do that. Quick Attack!"

"You haven't had enough of us yet?" Steven said, taunting Titania from across the gym. "I guess it's time for me to teach you a lesson! Lairon, Iron Tail!"

"Oh, crap!" Titania grit her teeth. Eevee couldn't handle being thrown across the gym again, especially when the damage was dealt by an opponent over sixty times heavier than it. "Eevee, Quick Attack-Dig combo!"

"Not a chance!" Steven Stone cried out. "Let's end this, Lairon— _Earthquake_!"

Titania made a last minute decision. "Double-time it!"

When Lairon's attack hit the ground the whole building shook so badly Titania (who actually fell this time) thought that the ceiling would crash down on them. When the dust cleared she saw that the gym floor had actually _split apart_ , multiple fissures stretching from Steven Stone's side of the field and into the wall behind her.

"Holy shit," she breathed. "Holy _shit_."

Across the way, she could see Steven with that smug grin on his face. Titania knew he thought he'd won, and she didn't blame him for it. But the battle wasn't over yet.

She looked for the telltale sign—a wagging tail, a twitching ear. The seconds ticked by, and for a moment Titania believed that she and Eevee lost the battle. Immediately she thought of how to help her Pokemon recuperate: a hot bath; nice food; relaxing music. The worry was short-lived, however, when she saw two little paws poking out from _right under Lairon_.

"We're not done!" Titania said, pumping her fist into the air. "Eevee— _Hidden Power_!"

* * *

He lost.

He, the indomitable Steve Stone, the trainer voted as the "favorite" to win the League, had lost… _to an Eevee._ Granted, he had let down his guard at the very end, which led to that surprise assault from the opposing side, but even so: it was an _Eevee_. It shouldn't have left a scratch on the Lairon he so carefully raised.

"Thanks for wrecking the gym, Mr. Stone." When he turned he found Titania walking up to him, a grin plastered on her face. "I haven't felt an Earthquake that bad since I was in Johto."

"Well, it's my Pokemon that are incredible, not me," he said, giving her a half-smile. "I think it's even more incredible that I lost. Honestly, it stings a little."

"Surprise attacks can do that," she said. "In any case, our battle was an exception. If this were a six-on-six, though, I'm sure I'd be a goner." Then she crouched, holding out her hand to Lairon (who was feeling _much_ better after eating some berries, a gift from Norman), allowing it to sniff her hand before she began to rub its head.

"I'm glad you think I'm strong, but this battle tells me you're formidable yourself." He crouched as well, tenderly spraying a Hyper Potion in the more banged up areas. "You'll be at the League, right?"

Her hand stopped moving; for a moment, she was silent. Then, "No, I'm not. I don't even have any badges."

Steven's eyebrows shot up. "Really? I thought you'd have at least one."

Another beat of silence. "I got one from Goldenrod, so that doesn't apply here."

Titania went back to petting Lairon, but the fact that the smile disappeared from her face made Steven begin to panic. Clearly, he had stepped on a land mine, just as he had in the Petalburg Woods where they first met. If he wasn't careful, she might run away from him again.

He quickly took hold of her hand and stood, bringing her to her feet. "Look," he said, scrambling for words, "I'm…" He took a deep breath, spoke again. "I'm glad you look better than this morning."

Titania's brow furrowed. "This…morning?"

"In the woods," he explained. "You ran away screaming, so I was going to look for you, but then I saw you here and—"

"That was you?" Her voice suddenly dropped to a whisper. Steven couldn't help but notice the way the color seemed to drain from her face. "Don't…don't tell my dad." Her free hand gripped his arm. " _Please_."

Steven's gaze traveled over to Norman, who was on the phone about fifty feet away from them. "I won't," he finally said, "if that's what you really want."

The breath of relief that left Titania sounded a little ragged. "Thank you. I just don't want him to worry about me. He'd take it too far."

"I mean, you _were_ screaming—"

"I was half asleep and probably dreaming about something," she reasoned. "I usually go for a run a couple of hours later, so I'm not used to being up this early."

Steven was half sure that she wasn't telling the truth, but he allowed it to slip by. "By the way," he said, changing the subject, "what did you think of my battling? Did I pass the test?"

"Pass?" The serious tone in her voice had vanished. "Oh, please. Like I said, our battle was pointless, since we all know that you're more than qualified to take him on."

Titania pointed in the direction her father was in. "You can go and schedule with him, though I would warn you that the earliest we can probably book you is tomorrow morning. We have to fix the field."

"Right, sorry about that," Steven said, smiling sheepishly. "Tomorrow it is." He would have preferred not having to rearrange his schedule, but he was at fault and would have to accept the consequences. Oddly enough, however, he found himself minding it less, simply because he looked forward to assessing Norman's strength for himself.

"I'm sorry if that messes up your schedule, though."

He shook his head. "I have a free afternoon." Now that he didn't have to go looking for her, that is.

At that moment, Steven heard Norman say his goodbyes to whoever was on the phone. "I'm going to schedule that battle now," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Titania nodded. "Of course, pretty boy. It's not every day that my dad gets his butt handed to him."

* * *

Titania had been scrubbing the stubborn food residue from the bottom of a pot when her father came into the kitchen, his face lit up in a grin.

"I don't know if I said this yet, but—" he clapped her on the shoulder, making her drop the pot into the sink, "—you were _phenomenal_ out there, Titania. I wish I had taped it."

"All I did was tell Eevee what to do," she said, responding lightly.

"But you commanded with the kind of skill and competency only a Gym Leader is capable of," he countered. Her dad gave her a wide grin, the kind she rarely saw on his face. "I think you're going to be a great one."

She sighed. "Dad, we went over this."

"I'm not saying you have to take over right now," he added quickly, almost interrupting her, "but a couple of years down the line, when you're ready to start taking on greater responsibilities—"

" _Dad_." She set down the sponge and turned to face him. "I already told you, I don't want to take over the gym for you."

"Then what do you want to do?" The smile had disappeared from his face as quickly as it had come, and her father had taken a defensive stance, crossing his arms. "Because I think you're wasting a good opportunity."

"I…I don't know," she said, answering truthfully. "There's just a lot I don't know about myself, and if you would just give me the chance to go out on a journey—"

"No."

Titania wanted to pull her hair out. At nineteen years old, she was the only person she knew (and she meant that _literally_ ) who hadn't taken at least one year to go off and explore a region; and, while she couldn't complain about the relatively comfortable life she had lived, she couldn't help but feel envious of her friends, who had found out a lot about themselves and what they wanted to do on their journeys.

Up until recently, she never had to think about the future—everything had been set up for her, as if the universe had hand-picked the destiny she was going to wear—and she had accepted it without question and without argument. But now, things were different.

"Dad, please," she begged. "I'm only asking for a year, and in this region! I won't be far from home, no matter where I end up!"

"Absolutely not!" Her father's expression seemed to tighten. "You _know_ it's dangerous out there."

"I just want to find myself," she said. He turned to walk away and she grabbed his arm, saying, "I just want to understand myself again—I want to know what I'm supposed to do with my life!"

"And I can tell you that!" Norman said, his volume quickly rising. "You're meant to take over for me!"

"No, I'm _not_!" She fought the tears that pricked her eyes. "Why don't you get it, dad? I hate being at the gym! It reminds me of—" She cut herself off, shaking her head. "Dad, please, I'm only asking for one year."

"You can't protect yourself!" Norman said, grabbing her by the shoulders. "It's not safe out there!"

"Yes, I can!" Her tears were falling now; she couldn't hold them back anymore. "The self-defense classes—my Pokemon—"

"Pokemon won't be able to keep you safe from the Teams!" By now, they had drawn a crowd—her mother and her two younger siblings were standing at the door, watching the exchange with wide, worried eyes. "Hoenn isn't safe!"

"Then we shouldn't have moved back here!" She said, matching him in volume. "You're being overprotective—"

"What I'm being," he said, "is _smart_! You think you have your life figured out—"

"—but I _don't_!—"

"—but I already know that you can't take care of yourself!" His body was trembling with anger. "I'm not stupid, Titania—you _always_ get yourself into trouble, and it's always _me_ that has to come and rescue you!"

"No, you don't—"

"You think you're an adult now? Newsflash, kid: you couldn't even protect yourself from _Hale_!"

Titania stared at her father, mortified into silence. A moment later, a horrified expression appeared on his face, and he reached out to her. "Titania, honey, I…I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"—no, it's fine, dad." She shrugged him off, then turned to leave. It actually wasn't, and they both knew it, but her own pride wouldn't let her admit the truth. "I'll just go."

* * *

Steven watched his dinner company exit the restaurant, one hand swirling around the glass of Bordeaux that had been ordered for them. As expected, Mr. Basile, CEO of the Basile Financing Company, and his daughter had done their best to make their best impression on him, his father's stand-in. They had taken him to the priciest venue in Petalburg and ordered the most expensive items on the menu, including the wine, which remained only half drunk when they left. They even paid for his dinner.

"Lavish and wasteful," he murmured to himself, picking up the receipt to once again look at the expenses. "And yet, they don't tip."

This display was all calculated, of course—Devon was about to take a number of projects, all of which were expected to be especially lucrative, and his father was looking for companies willing to invest in them. The Basile Financing Company was obviously one of those contenders and, knowing his father, the deal was just about sealed in stone... pun intended.

There was also the matter of women. Steven had met with a number of financing companies over the past few months, and each and every President or CEO with a female in their family had brought them along—he was no longer surprised when a girl "just so happened to be dropping by" or "was on break from university".

The Basile girl was no different than he had expected. She was rather pretty, as these types tended to be, and she paid him a lot of attention, but she was also very much the spoiled princess. (Quite literally, the lock screen on her phone read "Spoiled Princess".) He knew that the Basile CEO was hoping for a possible marriage, but Steven definitely was not interested. Fortunately for him, his own father was a fan of love-based marriages, which meant that he didn't have to marry for the sake of the company.

A good thing, he supposed. He wasn't especially inclined towards having relationships, given that he was always on the move, and ever since the end of his last relationship (about two years now, he estimated) he decided that when he fell in love—the kind of love that had been between his father and mother—that he'd never let that person go.

Steven took another sip of wine, looking out the window of the restaurant at Petalburg. He could see the gym from here, standing atop of a hill on the opposite side of the city. First thing tomorrow, he would battle Norman and earn the Balance Badge (because, of course, victory was a given). Hopefully, he would be able to see Titania, as well.

She was an interesting character, though Steven supposed it was because she was shrouded in mystery. Why had she been running through the Woods at six in the morning? Why was she so clearly distraught? What was her true extent as a trainer? Why had she never taken on a Gym Challenge?

One thing was clear, though: Norman intended for Titania to succeed him as Gym Leader. When he had gone to schedule his battle all Norman could do was boast about Titania's skill as a trainer and how great of a Gym Leader she was going to be. Steven wondered what she thought about it.

He could ask her tomorrow.

"Shall I go fetch your check?"

Steven's head snapped around to find a waiter—the same one that had served them earlier—looming over him.

"No worries," he said, replying automatically. "I've already…" He trailed off when the waiter rolled up his sleeve, revealing the very familiar Team Magma symbol on his arm.

"On second thought," he said, "I'd be very happy for you to do that."

"Right away, sir."

The waiter walked away, and Steven fished out his wallet from his pocket. He placed cash inside the original check—he made it a principle to tip well—and handed it to the Magma waiter, who returned only a few moments later with a manila folder.

"You have a good night, sir."

"And you, as well."

Steven rose from the table, leaving the half-eaten food and drink behind.

* * *

It had been years since they had come together as a whole. Their entire existence was founded on a deep-seated rivalry—they were polar opposites, plain and simple, and it had been that way for a very long time. Rumor had it that they were forming a coalition, but neither side could believe it. Their Leaders could hardly stand to be in the same room; working together? Impossible.

At least, that's what they had been certain of until they stood together on the stage. They lacked the animosity of previous confrontations and, while they weren't looking each other in the eyes, the fact that they were being civil towards each other was enough to force the crowd into a tensioned silence.

The Magma Leader, Maxie, stepped forward to the podium. "Members of Team Magma and Team Aqua," he said, "thank you for being present at this emergency meeting. We understand that the relations between our two teams have not been the most ideal, but we implore you to take what we say next to heart."

He paused, taking a moment to survey the room. "I, Maximillian of Team Magma, and Archibald of Team Aqua, stand before you today in a show of alliance."

Murmurs broke out amongst the crowd, a low rumble of clear discontent.

"I understand your concern," Maxie continued. "We have been a divided in action and in goal for almost a decade. However," he gripped the podium tightly, "Archibald and I are in agreement that the time has come for us to return to our original, allied state."

At this, the crowd's murmuring grew more frenzied. Maxie turned his gaze to Archie, who then stepped up to the platform himself.

"Listen," he said, his booming voice echoing in the room. "It's not like we're dissolving the teams or anything—we're just moving as one unit, with one goal. Aquas will be Aquas, and Magmas will be Magmas."

"However," Maxie stepped up to the mic again, "We are not doing this out of whim. Our parent group—from which we had originally stemmed from—has contacted us again with an operation that requires the efforts of both teams."

He out a remote from his pocket then pointed it at the projector. Behind them, the words flashed on the screen: "Operation: Statum Nexus".

"The _Iunctis Orbis_ , that is, our parent group," Maxie said, "has chosen Team Magma and Team Aqua to lead the operation here in Hoenn. This plan has been in the works for over ten years, and it will be the grandest undertaking by any one organization." He stepped back, allowing for Archie to step forward.

"This ain't the normal kinds of things that we've been doing lately," Archie said. "This is the big leagues, and we're about to weather a storm so fierce that it could rip apart Hoenn in an instant—what we need from you," he pointed out into the audience, "our members, is your commitment to see this plan through until its completion."

"Because when you do," Maxie said, once again taking the mic, "we all will be greatly rewarded."

At this, Archie frowned. "I wanted to say that," he whispered to Maxie.

Maxie simply said, "Sorry," though Archie knew he wasn't sorry at all.

"To lead us," Maxie said, "the _Iunctis Orbis_ has sent in their most capable person. Archibald and I know the extent of his abilities, as he is a former colleague of ours—and a former Magma—as well."

More murmurs, this time from a group of Aquas.

"Chill," Archie said, pushing Maxie off to the side and taking over the mic. "He may have been a Magma, but even I have some respect for him. And don't be fooled—he's young, but he could probably kick your ass in battle and in a fight."

Maxie crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. Honestly, Archie needed lessons in proper public speaking.

"That being said," Archie continued, "everybody, please welcome our new leader, Chad Firesco."

There was a bit of clapping, but for the most part, the audience of Aquas and Magmas could only stare as a young man stepped out and onto the stage. He was young—couldn't be more than nineteen—and with his blond hair, blue eyes, and handsome face the majority couldn't help but think that he belonged on a magazine cover and not in the midst of a den of criminals.

"Thank you Maxie, Archie," he said, nodding at the two Leaders. "I understand the confusion of the Magmas present today—I may have been affiliated with them, but I certainly did not associate with many of my teammates." He adjusted the mic, bringing it closer to his mouth. "I was a member of the covert special teams, so I did not have the time to assimilate with the rest of you, which is a shame."

"However," he continued, "I have to cut all friendly chat short. Today, I am here with orders from the _Iunctis Orbis_ : usurp the Hoenn League."

* * *

Caroline watched her husband pace across their kitchen floor. "I know I was harsh, Caroline," he said, suddenly turning to her, "but I'm trying to protect her. Why can't she understand that?"

She held out a bagel to him. "Come and eat breakfast, Norman." He shook his head, refusing the food. Again, she offered the bagel; this time, he sat down at the dining table next to her and took the bread.

"She _knows_ our situation," he said, scooping up cream cheese with a spoon and spreading it on the bread. "We have to be diligent about our safety."

At this, Caroline sighed. "Norman, she's not upset about that. At least, not _just_ that."

"And what, should I just let her do what she wants? Let her walk right into the giant danger zone that this region is?"

"Titania needs an apology, Norman." When her husband turned to her, brow furrowed in confusion, she added, "I think you were out of line to yell at her."

Norman put down his bagel. "I know, Caroline. I just can't help but think—"

"What you think doesn't matter right now," she said, interrupting him. "What's more important is that you make up with your daughter. We can discuss her requests later."

The sigh that left Norman's lips seemed to go on for forever. "I shouldn't have yelled at her." Running a hand through his hair, he said, "Maybe I'm a bad father."

Caroline's fork clattered when it hit the plate. She cupped Norman's face with her hands, forced him to look her in the eyes.

"Don't you dare say that," she said. "You're not."

"I don't know, Caroline." His entire expression drooped—clearly, his actions had bothered him more than she'd thought. "Not when I'm restricting Titania as much as your father did to you."

Caroline shook her head. "You do it to protect her—out of love, Norman." She shook her head. "My father did it because he's an asshole." She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Norman, listen to me: you're _not_ my father."

He was silent for a moment, and Caroline opened her mouth to speak again. At the last second, Norman looked up at her, the corner of his lips turned up in a smile. "Of course I'm not. Otherwise, our love would be incestuous." He kissed her, and she giggled. "You always know what to say."

"Did I ever tell you," she said, changing the subject, "that I was engaged at seventeen?"

"You said he was an old man," Norman said.

"He looked like a Swalot with a toupee." Caroline shuddered, thinking back on the man's face. "And he was twenty years older than my father."

"So when you were seventeen, he was…"

"Sixty-seven."

Norman laughed. "You must regret marrying me, then."

She shrugged. "Yeah, because he was loaded. You, not so much."

"But you thought I was hot, and that's all that mattered." He kissed her again, this time a little more passionately. When he broke away, he whispered, "I love you, Caroline."

"And I love you, hot stuff." Caroline wrapped her arms around Norman's neck and nestled herself into his chest. It was okay to be grossly affectionate, she reasoned, since May and Max were already at school. "That was the last straw, though," she continued, "when my father arranged a marriage for me. The night before our engagement was supposed to be announced, I…"

"You what?"

Caroline felt her breath leave her. "Norman. Her alarm."

"Alarm?"

"Did you hear it go off today?" She rose to her feet and began walking in that direction. "I always hear it go off."

"She's been getting up pretty early, though," she heard Norman say as he trailed after her. "We might have just slept through it."

"I never sleep through anyone's alarms," Caroline said. She hoped she was overthinking things—that Titania wouldn't _actually_ follow in her footsteps—but the ominous feeling that had piled up in her gut left her feeling so _very_ unsure.

"Titania?" Norman knocked on her door. "Titania, are you in there?" No response.

Caroline, impatient, forced the door open, slamming it against the wall. "Titania!"

She wasn't there. Everything else about the room was in place—the bed was perfectly made, the bookshelf overloaded with paraphernalia, books strewn across the desk because they didn't fit on the shelves. Only Titania was missing.

Actually, scratch that. A closer inspection revealed that so much more had disappeared from the room: her favorite red duffel bag; clothes; the family picture that had always been on her desk; her PokeNav charger; her wallet; her Pokemon. Caroline's worst fears had come true—just like her, Titania had run away from home.

* * *

And that's a wrap! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you stick around to find out what happens next!

Please let me know what you think by leaving a review. I always love hearing from you guys! (Also, how many of you also read _To Find_?)

Until next time,

Khryseis


	2. Chapter 2

Fun fact of the day: Titania is pronounced ty-TAE-nee-uh because she was named after "Titanium", not the Shakespearean fairy queen.

* * *

Titania shouldn't have gone after the thief.

"Hey, _stop_! Get back here!"

The Devon Worker had been desperate, sure, but somebody else's desperation should not have made her move the way she did. In fact, the rejection had been on her lips before he had even finished his sentence—she needed to keep moving, keep running before her parents could catch wind of her location. With the weight of her actions settling in, adrenaline had been edged out by a deep paranoia. She couldn't get caught, by her parents or otherwise. It was too late to go back now.

If only she hadn't seen the symbol. You would miss it if you weren't looking closely, the white, stylized "A" of Team Aqua, a symbol so familiar and so horrifying that her knees nearly gave way from under her. An ordinary thief was one thing; Aquas, however, were another, and they were something that Titania just couldn't ignore. Chasing criminals were someone else's job, sure, and certainly was not the job of a runaway teenager. The safe thing—the _right_ thing—to do was to reject the Devon man and walk away.

But the thief was an Aqua, and Titania just couldn't pass up a chance to feed her hero's complex.

She came to a halt at the tunnel entrance. Devon had initially planned to use the tunnel to connect Rustboro and Verdanturf (hence, "Rusturf Tunnel"), hoping to alleviate the number of trainers using the ferries to get to Mauville by way of Dewford/Slateport. However, production halted when construction workers hit a Whismur nest, causing outcry not only from the Pokemon but from the general public as well. That being said, the incomplete tunnel was a dead end—and Titania would be able to nab the guy, no problem.

Her parents would be _livid_ if they knew she was going after someone from the teams. It wasn't just family protocol, but _safety protocol_ to keep a low profile. (Ironic, considering that her dad was a fucking _gym leader_ , but according to him that was something else entirely.) It would be best to turn back.

 _But you have to keep your promise, Titania_. Even if she promised something she might not be able to deliver.

There was a pop, then a flash of light in her peripheral view. Titania looked down to see her Torchic gazing up at her expectantly. She cocked an eyebrow, and the small chick turned its head towards the tunnel, puffed out a small flame, then chirped loudly.

"You want to act as a torch."

Torchic nodded, and Titania responded in kind. "Lead the way."

Titania stopped as she reached a fork in the tunnel. "Torchic," she whispered, "lights out."

Enveloped in darkness, Titania stood still, closing her eyes and let her other senses explore the cave. The air was cold, and from the right a small wind blew, smelling of roses and the earth. This path led to Verdanturf—at least until a huge rock blocked the way. To her left, there was the faint sound of a stream from deep within the cave, of young Whismur mewling for their parents (or, more likely, for food). And from behind, if she really strained her ears, she could hear the sound of someone breathing.

Then she felt the tuft of warm breath against the back of her neck, then the hand that ghosted her ass.

Titania jerked forward, whirling around to accost the stranger, only to feel something yank her by the collar of her jacket and drag her forward. She struggled to free herself, simultaneously fighting the black dread that rose like bile in her throat, but he was stronger than her, keeping her suspended a whole two inches off the ground.

"Hello there, princess," A man's voice cooed. "Didn't your parents teach you not to follow strangers into dark places—or should I teach you about what happens in the dark?"

* * *

Steven plastered on a smile, trying to not look as disappointed as he felt.

"I'm really sorry about this," Norman said, gripping Steven's shoulder with one hand. "I promise I'll get you that battle before League Qualification dates pass, but I can't ignore this emergency."

"No, no, rescheduling is not a problem," Steven assured the man. "I can get work done wherever I am. Just let me know the earliest date you can accommodate me."

"Of course. Let me go get you my business card…" Norman walked out of the room, and it was only then that Steven allowed the smile to falter. Honestly, he felt a little entitled to know _exactly_ what was keeping him from his gym badge. His eyes searched the lobby, hoping that Titania would appear and divulge a little more on the topic, but to his disappointment, the girl never showed up.

A couple of moments later, Norman came back, business card in hand. "I ended up writing my personal PokeNav number on it, just in case you need to contact me directly." The men exchanged cards.

"Thank you." As Steven tucked Norman's card away, he asked, "Do you think I could speak to Titania? I had a couple of questions I wanted to ask her."

Norman froze, hands in the middle of putting Steven's business card in the pocket of his pants. Anxiety flashed through the man's eyes. Even after Norman had resumed a façade of nonchalance, the air around him was tense.

"She's… not here right now," he said, responding slowly.

Steven narrowed his gaze. Clearly, something was up. "Oh? If you tell me, I could probably catch up with her. The questions are kind of important."

"Now's not a good time." Norman, stumbling over his words, stepped back towards the door. "Listen, I don't mean to be rude, but I _really_ must be going—"

Putting two and two together, Steven quickly grabbed Norman by the arm. "Your emergency," he said, "concerns Titania?"

There was a brief pause. Then: "Yes." Norman tugged his arm away, then began walking briskly towards the exit. "Since you know that, you know why I'm in such a rush. I need to go."

"Is there any way I can help?" Steven chased after Norman, matching his quick stride. "I know that you may think this is none of my business, but I can't ignore someone in trouble." Okay, so maybe that wasn't quite true—but Titania was a special case. He overtook Norman and stood in front of him, blocking him from exiting the gym lobby. "Please, let me help. As one trainer to another."

"I can't—"

"She's gone missing." The two men turned to see Caroline at the entrance. Her eyes were red, puffed up from crying. She leaned against the frame of the door, thin arms crossed over her chest, looking as though she might blow away in the wind at any moment. "To be specific, she ran away."

Norman sent his wife a warning look. "Caroline."

"You know how she works, Norman," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "On your own, you'd never be able to find her."

"And so bringing in a complete stranger will help?"

Caroline was silent, turning her gaze to inspect the young man caught in their crossfire. "Steven."

Steven straightened his back. "Yes, ma'am?"

"You work for your father at Devon, right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you can access the database of users that have registered PokeNavs?"

He nodded. "If you'd like, I could pull it up from my laptop."

"Good." Caroline pushed off the door, then came towards him, stopping with only a foot of space between them. "Listen, boy," she said, continuing, "this is family business. That being said, this matter needs to be kept between us. You are an outsider, and the only reason we are allowing you to help is because you have utility."

He nodded. He had his own thoughts on Titania going rogue, but he'd keep that to himself—at least until he could voice his thoughts to the girl himself. "I'll get you what you need right away."

"Thank you." Caroline's posture softened. Norman came up behind her, placing one hand on the small of her back for support, and gave Steven his silent thanks. "I don't care what you do, or how you do it," she said, gently wiping the tears in her eyes. "Just… _please_ , bring her home."

* * *

"Fucking _bitch_!"

Titania stumbled backward into the rocky wall behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see the form of the man punching the air, his fists whizzing just centimeters in front of her face. The air smelled of blood—his blood.

In the time between the man implying sex and her current situation, the man had outed himself as the Aqua thief she had been chasing, even going so far as to boost his own ego by showing off the parcel of items he had stolen. He had then repeated himself, making his sexual advance less subtle by placing a hand on her lower back and teasing his fingers through the hem of her shorts, causing bile to rise in her throat (out of disgust, of course). Not wanting to lead him on, Titania had rejected the man in the most straightforward way she could think of: one roundhouse kick, straight to the face.

It got her message across. The broken nose was an added bonus.

"I'll fucking _kill you_!"

Right, that probably wasn't the best course of action. She had grown up learning Tae Kwon Do and other martial arts, so she could probably take on anything he threw at her, but one misstep and the bigger, angrier man in front of her would snap her in two.

She decided to just grab the stolen goods and escape—that's why she was here in the first place. Titania dropped low, straining her eyes to see the package in the dim light, only to catch the Aqua's foot in the cleft of her shoulder. He sent her flying, and when she hit the ground so did he, his hulking frame towering over her. Hands clamped around her neck, crushing her windpipe.

Shit.

"You like that, bitch?" he hissed at her. "You like it when I choke you like that, huh? Well, that's not all I'm going to do to you, _princess_."

"Fuck…you." She clawed at his hands, trying to loosen his fingers, just to get a little more air through, but it was damn near impossible.

"Oh, I'll fuck you, all right." There was a condescending laugh. "Don't worry, princess, I'll give you the dick you want—but not until I choke the life out you first."

Titania gasped for air. The edges of her vision were going blurry; her fingers fell to her side, all fighting strength lost.

The Aqua yanked her off the ground. "I'm going to cum in every hole of your lifeless body and then hang your corpse from the entrance of this cave like a fucking weather doll. Imagine what it'll look like, your filthy, cum-stained body displayed for the whole world to see. Mommy and daddy would like that, huh?"

Well, shit, that sounded like the _best_ way to go. To show her thanks, Titania used the last bit of her strength to kick the man—this time, right in the groin.

He immediately released her to nurse the pain in his lower regions, and Titania scrambled to her feet, gasping for air. It was by chance that she stumbled over the parcel of goods, but taking this stroke of good luck she swiped the package and began running the way she came.

Behind her, a flash illuminated the cave. "Let's get her, Mightyena!"

Shit. She began running faster, trying to ignore the burning in her lungs. Turn left here, right here, keep running, _keep running_ —

And then she was tackled to the floor. The Mightyena growled in her ear, warning her that if she even moved a single finger it would sink its fangs into her.

"Fucking bitch." The man came up from behind her, then kicked her in the ribs. Titania cried out but kept a tight grip on the Devon goods. "Think you can get away from me? Huh?"

She whimpered when he kicked her again. "I tried being nice, but you've pushed this nice guy too far. You're going to fucking regret this."

Okay, she was going to die. Titania tried to find some humor in this—even in death it was her coping mechanism of choice—but could dredge up no witty comeback. This was it. This guy would kill her, rape her carcass, then hang her like a fucking wind chime.

"Any last words, you fucking bitch?" She felt the sharp incisors of teeth graze her shoulder.

Slowly, not to startle the Pokemon before she could deliver her last bit of snark, she turned her gaze to the man, then spat, "Yeah—get better insults."

"Fucking bitch!" He roared. "Mightyena, Toxic!"

The words had barely registered in Titania's mind when she felt Mightyena's fangs clamp onto her shoulder. She screamed, writhing wildly as the venom from the Pokemon's jaws burned its way through her bloodstream.

The Aqua laughed. "Serves you right, you damn bitch."

She groaned, glaring at him—rather, the form of him; her vision was quickly leaving her—through her tears. Titania tried forming a response, only for it to come out as haggard gasps of breath.

"Oh, look, Mightyena, a _snack_."

Titania felt the familiar heat of her Pokemon brush up against her face, and she grunted angrily at her Pokemon. Torchic knew protocol—in dangerous situations, _like this one_ , Torchic was to take the other Pokemon and run. As far as she knew, it had done just that, because her belt of Pokeballs was no longer attached to her waist. Why did Torchic come back?

Again, she grunted angrily at the chick Pokemon, only to have Torchic return with exasperated peeping of its own.

"Torchic," she pleaded, voice a soft rasp. "Torchic, _run_."

Her vision faded then, oscillating in and out of a half-awake sort of consciousness. In her delusion, she thought that she sensed a bright flash of light and the sound of a large man crumpling to the floor.

* * *

Norman placed a steadying hand against Staraptor's sturdy body, adjusting so that he wouldn't accidentally slip off the large bird and plummet hundreds of feet to his death. It had been years since he had ridden Staraptor, or any Pokemon for that matter, His days as a free trainer were long behind him. He was an adult now, and when the occasion called for travel—which was rare, as the Hoenn League did most of their conferences online—he had more conventional means of getting around.

But in emergencies—like this one—conventional wouldn't cut it. His wayward, runaway daughter had a propensity for attracting trouble, and Norman wanted to be there before the worst of it could lay a hand on her. It was that bad feeling that forced him to urge Staraptor on faster.

They made it to Rustboro in ten minutes.

"Her PokeNav logged into the Rustboro Pokemon Center's wi-fi this morning at 8:34 a.m., so she probably checked into a room this morning. Titania must be in the city, if not in the surrounding trails," Steven said, hopping off his Skarmory. "The city itself is sort of a dead end, so it's not like she can go farther north easily. We'll check the center and the Gym, then head out towards the routes."

Norman nodded solemnly, then began to walk in the direction of the Pokemon Center.

Steven followed in silence, appraising Norman with a careful eye. This wasn't a simple case of a child running away from home—Norman was too off-kilter, even for this sort of situation. While parents of missing children tended to act like the world would end, there was something in Norman's expression that convinced _Steven_ that there was something far more sinister than a selfish princess on the run.

Then again, he was making that assumption based on the file that had passed to him through the Magma agent. The manila folder, now hidden in a secret compartment of his suitcase, held only the simple profile of one Titania Mathilde Maple. On the back, scrawled in pen, a simple message: "Your next target." The kinds of people the teams targeted were of high importance. Just _who_ was Titania Maple? What was her connection to Team Magma?

Did it have anything to do with the reason she ran away?

"Mr. Steven! Oh, thank _Arceus_ , it's you!"

Steven saw one of Devon's workers—Mr. Parker, his father's secretary—trip over his own feet as he rushed up to him. "Parts," he was saying, gripping Steven by the shoulder. "The Devon Parts were stolen, sir!"

"Impossible," Steven said. "We have those under tight surveillance. They're supposed to go out to Slateport this evening."

"Yes, they _were_ ," Mr. Parker said, "but they were nabbed by a Team Aqua member as we were transporting them to a vehicle."

" _Aqua_?" The two men turned to Norman, who had been standing just a few feet away from them. His face had drained of all color. "You—you must be joking," he said, continuing. "Last I heard, they were done for good. Aren't they—and Team Magma, too—just small teams that can only commit petty crimes?"

Steven nodded. "They're no longer an active threat."

"But I promise, it was Team Aqua!" Mr. Parker looked at the men with pleading eyes. "The girl, too—the trainer I recruited—she saw the Aqua symbol and immediately ran after him!"

"She _what_?!"

The Devon heir almost jumped at the roar that bellowed from Norman. He saw the Gym Leader's face become even more pallid than before, eyes flashing with anger before he turned and jumped back onto Staraptor, murmuring something about family protocol.

"Mr. Maple?"

"Which way?" Clearly agitated, the question came out brusque, almost rude. "Sorry," he said, after a moment of silence, "I need to explain. I am absolutely positive that the girl this man is talking about is Titania. So," he looked at the Devon worker, "tell me, please—which way did she go?"

The man pointed towards the large mountain that separated Rustboro from Verdanturf, and Norman immediately took off.

Steven, following suit, quickly mounted Skarmory. "Mr. Parker, don't worry about the parts. We'll be getting those back shortly." His gaze followed the small dot that was Norman and his Staraptor. "Forgive Mr. Maple; we were actually going to look for his daughter, who you coincidentally met. He's been worried about her."

"I figured they were related since they look similar," the man said. "Though I wonder how old she is," he mused," as Norman surely can't be old enough to have an adult child."

The boy simply shrugged. "I might ask if you're that curious. I must be going, though. Report the incident to my father."

"One step ahead of you. Be safe, Mr. Steven."

* * *

Steven knew something was wrong, even from the air. The tunnel entrance was sealed shut, large boulders plugging the pathway from the inside out. There had been no news of an earthquake—the prototype PokeNav hadn't sent an update—so Steven immediately considered it the work of an angry Pokemon. Probably an Exploud. Norman stood fifty feet away from it, one hand pointing at the rock plug; Staraptor was chipping away at the rock.

Immediately, Steven felt his stomach sink. He hopped off of Skarmory from twenty feet in the air, landing beside Norman with a heavy thud. "Is she—"

"Her Pokeballs were left out here," he said, interrupting. Norman shouted another command at his Pokemon, his other hand clenched into a tight fist around a belt of Pokeballs, presumably Titania's. "I haven't heard a peep from inside. She never lets her Pokemon out of her sight! Only when… when… _damn it_!"

Norman fell to his knees, crying out and punching the ground. Immediately, his Pokemon halted their attacks on the rock barrier, rushing back to their trainer. "I couldn't protect her," he said, voice heavy with anguish. "I couldn't protect her _again_! I'm sorry— _I'm so sorry, Titania_." He pounded both fists against the ground this time, the guttural cry resounding throughout the open area.

Steven's mouth went dry. He could guess what had happened. The thief, no doubt knowing that the Tunnel was incomplete, had led Titania through this pathway. It was a dead end: a pitch-black dead end, where the thief, no doubt accustomed to working in the dark, could easily go from prey to hunter. Titania, unaware of the danger she was in, had naively, heroically gone after the thief, but instead of catching him _he_ had caught her, dragged her deep into the cave, and…

He couldn't bear to think of what happened after; he knew the sinister place his imagination would travel. "Lairon, clear a path!" The iron lizard, sensing the urgency in his voice, immediately went to work at the rocks, clawing away chunks with heavy claws. Steven knelt by Norman, placing a comforting hand at his shoulder. "Stay here. I'll get her."

"But I—"

"You're too distraught." Steven tightened his hold on Norman. "Please, Mr. Maple. Your emotions will overwhelm you. I will get her."

Norman stared up at Steven, and Steven held firm. Finally, the man acquiesced, hanging his head.

"Please… just… find her."

The boy nodded. "I promise." Steven rose to his feet, turning back to the cave just in time to see his Lairon break through a boulder, creating an opening large enough for him to go through. He peeked through the entrance. At the far end, he could see the faint glow of a fire. Without a second thought, he sprinted inside, following the lighted path to a hopefully breathing Titania.

A minute later, four forms came into view. A Torchic, positioned in front of the body that was closer to him, was concentrated on keeping up a small, steady pillar of flames. Steven began to speed up. The bulkier figure in the back was clearly a man, and most likely the Aqua that he looked for, and next to him was a canine-like Pokemon. Which meant…

He came to a stop five feet from the Torchic, staring down at the body sprawled face-down on the rocky ground.

"Titania?" he whispered. No response. He stepped closer. "Tita—" He stopped, and his breath caught.

She wasn't breathing.

" _Arceus, no_." He rushed forward, kneeling at her side, the fabric of his pants soaking in dark red blood.

There was so much of it—it stained her clothes, matted her hair, marred her skin. Quickly, gently, Steven lifted Titania's body, turning her over. When he rested her head on his shoulder she gave a small gasp of breath, and immediately relief flooded him. Only partially lucid, her eyes stared blankly at a spot on the ceiling above them; weakly, her hand curled around his. She was alive…but for how long?

He noticed the parcel tucked under her left arm—the one that was bleeding heavily—and immediately knew that it was the stolen Devon Goods. Anger flashed, red-hot, through his veins. How dare Mr. Parker rely on her good will, allow her to be in a dangerous situation. She could have died—no, _could die_. Were these damn parts really worth the life of an innocent woman?

There was frantic peeping from the Torchic, clearly telling Steven to move. "You're right. Let's get going." Steven pried his hand from Titania's, then hooked his arm under her legs, using the other to support her neck and to press her closer. At this, she groaned, weakly lifting one arm to grasp her shoulder. If only he was doing this under different circumstances, for a different purpose. Romancing a woman was much better than carrying her nearly-lifeless body to her anguished father.

He didn't like seeing Titania weak. It was very unlike his picture of her, beauty and strength and teasing sass. The way she whined with every step he took, how she didn't even have the strength to recognize him anymore…he didn't like that. At _all_. The last time someone had been like this—had been so close to death—it had at least been on _his_ terms.

This was not part of his plans. He didn't like it.

At this point, Titania had completely slipped out of consciousness, her soft moans exchanged for shaky, ragged breath. The opening of the tunnel, much bigger after Lairon had done more digging, shone daylight on Titania, revealing the bulging, purple veins that had been hidden from him in the fire's partial lighting deeper in the cave.

 _Poisoned, too_. Steven hoped that, for the sake of his heart, nothing else had happened. Titania's chances at life were dwindling with every new development, with every passing second that she wasn't in the ER.

She had been assaulted by an Aqua, someone affiliated with the Teams. He thought back to her profile, remembered that she was someone he was keeping an eye on. Who was Titania Maple—what did she mean to the teams? Did she really run away from home, like the Maples claimed? Or was her motive to chase after this man?

Her free hand had managed to find its way to the lapel of his blazer, weak fingers barely clasping on. His chest tightened, and he felt himself hold her tighter.

" _Live_ , Titania," he said, voice a murmuring whisper. "You're not allowed to die on me yet."

* * *

Norman didn't even have the energy to pace anymore, not after five hours of wearing his steps into the tile. Caroline would be here soon, bringing May and Max with her. Hands rubbed the skin of his face roughly; how was he supposed to explain this to the children? How would he tell them that Titania—their older sister—might never wake up again?

"She'll be all right." The Gym Leader turned to look at the Devon heir, whose hand was once again gripping his shoulder firmly. "I believe in her will to live."

The boy was haggard, his suit torn and covered in blood. The fact that it was Titania's blood made bile rise into his throat. _Arceus_. "I wish I could show even an ounce of the maturity that you're showing," he said, voice heavy with tiredness. "I just don't know what I'm going to tell my kids."

"This isn't maturity, I'm afraid. I'm too emotionally drained to properly react to anything at the moment." Steven shook his head. "It's never easy explaining these kinds of situations to children, either."

Norman realized that the boy may have been talking about himself, too—if he recalled correctly, his own mother had passed when he was thirteen.

"Just…don't blame yourself." Steven continued to speak, eyes trained on the ceiling panels. "It wasn't your fault."

There was a moment of silence between them. He knew Steven was being sincere, but… "I made a promise to her, though. She's good at getting into trouble—it's a talent, I tell her." At this, the corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile, remembering the time she had accidentally tied herself to one of the branches of the tree by her old room in Johto. "I promised to protect her from everything. All I wanted was to make sure she never got hurt."

"That's an impractical promise," Steven said. "Something you can't keep."

"That didn't stop me from trying." Norman let out a sigh, blinking back the tears that had welled up. "If only I was faster."

Again, there was silence. Finally, Steven let out a sigh of his own. "I think it will be all right."

"You think?"

"We've got good doctors here—the best in Hoenn, I'd say," Steven said, assuring him. "Besides, I believe in Titania's will to live."

Norman didn't doubt that. He had personally dragged the unconscious Team Aqua member to the police station. He looked like he was in pretty bad shape himself, burnt in several places and with a broken nose. Titania always puts up a fight. She wouldn't be herself if she didn't.

"I'm not worried about whether she'll live or not," Norman finally said, clasping his hands together.

"Oh?"

Norman nodded. "It's not a matter of 'if'—it's ' _when_.'"

* * *

Even though the mirror was cracked, fracturing the visage within, he could still look over his appearance rather intensively. He ran his fingers through his chestnut hair up on top of his head, sweeping the fringe off to one side, then across the underside, where the razor had buzzed almost to the scalp. He tilted his head to the left, then to the right. The undercut looked good on him—as most haircuts did—but he particularly enjoyed the way it made him look somewhat mature: old enough to drink, perhaps, but young enough that anyone would think he was still in undergrad.

His mind wandered, thinking of what it would have been like if they were in college now, as they should have been. On a night like this—he glanced outside; no clouds, a lot of stars—they would have gone to Olivine's pier, complaining about professors who assigned too much reading and homework they should be doing in-between a sappy romance movie and kissing when no one was looking. He found his eyes drooping shut, imagining _her_ , with her hands pressed to his chest, her lips grazing his ears, the gentle lilt of soft whispers that managed to send electricity shooting down his spine, even in this dimly-lit safe house.

He had to force his eyes open, and in the mirror he saw desire, pooling behind his golden irises. These were the eyes that lusted, that longed, that _loved_ her.

These were the eyes that could no longer look at her.

Not that it mattered now. Even the thin veneer of narcissism was unable to mask the self-hatred that had been festering beneath his skin. He fucked up—badly—and she was gone now, living only in memories that left him hungrier and more haunted as the days went on. He loved her, but the things he had done to her, the things that weighed heavily on him, were sins that kept him in a darkness he wasn't sure he could escape from.

Turning away from the mirror, he walked towards the bed, then searched the sheets for his wallet. He paused. "Looker," he said, pausing momentarily to allow his eyes to flicker towards the closet. "Whatever you're looking for, it's probably in _your_ room."

There was a moment of silence, then the sound of a door opening. The older man peeked his head out, nodding resolutely, mouth set in a thin, firm line.

"I see, the trainee has now been able to track me! You have been trained well, Agent Hale."

Hale straightened up, then crossed his arms. "You were told to monitor me again."

"I did this on my own, young friend," Looker said, stepping out from the closet, brushing dust off his shoulder. "As expected, you are far less taciturn than you initially were, but the tendency to stare into the mirror remains unchanged."

Did he really do it that much? "I was just thinking," he said, the automatic response.

"About how you looked?" Looker supplied, giving the young man an intense stare. "I promise you, Agent Hale, Ms. Wicke tells me that your popularity goes as far as the branch in Alola. You are—how do the kids say it these days?—a 'total babe.'"

Hale allowed himself a chuckle. "Well, I'm flattered—"

"—though," Looker continued, interrupting, "I do suppose that such a dark expression warrants of thinking of things other than one's appearance."

Hale said nothing, only shrugged.

"Do you supposed that the psychologist helped?"

Hale knew that Looker was pressing him, but not unkindly, so allowed a response. "I'm… _better_ , I guess, but I still feel shitty."

"Therapists are guides, not miracle workers." Looker appraised Hale, then nodded. "In any case, I am here to welcome you to the team. You will be a good addition, though I am particularly excited because I have been a fan."

The boy cocked an eyebrow. "You watch American football?" Surprising, considering that most people didn't care for it.

"I was undercover at your high school, if you recall," Looker said, "and I so happened to have caught one of your games and got hooked. I was going to go watch your debut as an Olivine Steelixer last fall until…" he trailed off, gesturing towards Hale with one hand.

"Until I got recruited."

He nodded. "Nonetheless, football is meaningless now that you're here. The job is tough, but I am sure you can handle the work." Looker struck out one hand, and Hale took it. "Welcome, Agent Hale, to the Interpol."

"Thanks, Looker." Hale's eyes caught the manila folder peeking out of his superior's coat. "I suppose you have orders for me?"

The man nodded. "Yes, you are very astute, aren't you? Here you go." Looker placed the file in Hale's hands. "You've heard of Hoenn's major crime syndicates, Team Aqua and Team Magma?"

"I don't know if I'd call them 'major' anymore," Hale said. "They've been reduced to petty crimes, no?"

"As of late, they seem to have regrouped. Both teams have had sudden jumps in activity rates—200 percent, actually."

"That's a little troubling."

"Absolutely, my dear friend. Your job, then, is to look into it." Looker checked his watch. "I must be going—I'll be in Alola for a little bit, but do not hesitate to call me back. I will rush here with the speed of an Arcanine!"

Hale nodded. "Will do, sir."

Looker closed the door behind him. Hale, breathing out a heavy sigh, took a few moments to flip through the papers in the manila folder before tossing it onto the desk.

When he finally sank down into the bed he felt the bulge of his wallet pressing against his shoulder. He struggled to fish it out of the sheets, but after managing to unearth it he opened it and pulled out a picture he had hidden behind his ID.

He had taken this one on their first date—well, the "unofficial" first date, as they were still "just friends" for the majority of it. He remembered feeling nervous, even when she had held his hand, and how they had stopped beneath a Cheri Berry tree in full bloom. Feeling bold, he kissed her, asked her to be his girlfriend. She had said yes, of course.

Now, he needed the courage to even look her directly in the eyes.

But she wasn't with him now, and so Hale carefully placed the picture back behind his ID, then placed the wallet next to the manila folder on the desk. It was time to sleep, he figured, as tomorrow would be a new day and a new start for him. Maybe.

It took a while, but he finally drifted off to sleep, dreaming, as he always did, of Titania.

* * *

It was only barely, but Titania was _alive._

Steven leaned back into the wall, staring up at the ceiling tiles and thanking every heavenly being and guardian Pokemon he could think of for the good news. Norman had already left, practically running behind the nurse who wheeled Titania off to one of the rooms. He had stayed behind, promising to follow Norman after he took a moment to process the information.

It was a miracle, really. One arm was broken, and both legs had hairline fractures running up along the entire bone. A couple of her ribs were cracked, too, one of them puncturing her left lung. Furthermore, she had been badly poisoned. No one, Steven least of all, thought Titania would survive.

But she had, and that had astounded the doctors—as well as Steven to no end. Part of him wondered if she had just used the last bit of her luck, and that the next time (Arceus forbid) she would be a total goner.

Steven reached for his PokeNav. Of course, Devon would be paying for all her medical fees. She _had_ acted on behalf of the company, so it only made sense that she was reimbursed for her efforts. If his father refused to—and he wouldn't, because Steven knew his father and knew that Joseph Stone would _love_ Titania—he would pay for the girl himself.

His PokeNav began to ring. Thinking that it was his father—it was around the time he called—he answered with a, "Hello? Have you heard?"

"I don't know, Steven, you tell me. We've been out of touch for a while, no?"

Steven almost dropped the phone. "Chad." He pushed himself off the wall and quickly walked towards the exit, hoping to find a place more discreet. The hospital nurses here had good hearing, and the last thing he needed was for this call to be gossip fodder.

"Yes, me, genius," he heard the voice say. "Who were you expecting, daddy?"

"As a matter of fact, I was."

"Well, you can call _me_ daddy if you want," the voice at the other end teased, snickering loudly. Steven didn't respond quickly enough, and Chad continued with a sigh. "Right, you're a killjoy. Now, tell me, have you received the info from our contact?"

"Yes," Steven said. He ended up at the parking lot and, deciding that this place was safe enough to talk, sat on the curb. "And why would I call you _daddy_? You aren't my father."

There was a loud sigh. "Steven, when was the last time you fucked?"

"Why does that matter, Chad?" Steven said, rolling his eyes at Chad's crass language. "What does sex have to do with calling you daddy? Or Titania?"

There was a snort. "It's been a while, then. Whatever. Anyways, what do you think of her?"

"Titania?"

"Who else, dumbass?"

"Well, she's…nice?" he supplied, not sure about what to say. "Look, I don't know why this matters to me. I left the teams, remember?"

"You think you left?" The laughter in Chad's voice had left. In its place, there was a hard edge, the one he used whenever he was speaking in public. "Listen, Steven, what you're doing right now is a glorified vacation. _I never let you leave_."

Steven's jaw dropped. "You're joking! You said—"

"—that I would let you 'play normal' like you wanted." Steve clenched the PokeNav in his hands so hard his fingers turned white. "Did you think that I would let you do that forever? Play time is over, Steven. Get back to work."

Steven shook with anger. "You can't do this, Chad."

"Can't I?" He swore that he could see the triumphant look on Chad's face, only making him more livid. "If you breach your contract, Steven, I will _ruin_ Devon. You know that, right?"

Steven was silent, trying to bite back the rage that rose into his throat. "I do," he finally said, the words coming out from between clenched teeth.

"Of course I am, genius. Now, about Titania—keep an eye on her. She is the key to the plans the IO has. Make sure that nothing happens to her."

"Well, you should have said that earlier," Steven snapped, "because right now, your precious Titania is in a coma, _fighting for her life_."

There was a beat of silence. "I'm sorry," Chad said, finally speaking, "but… _what_ did you say?"

He let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what you're doing, Chad, but an Aqua member—who _stole from Devon,_ I might add—assaulted Titania, who had gone after him to get back the items." He relayed the gory details—the broken bones, the punctured lung, the poison. "If I hadn't gotten there when I did, she would have died. Right now, doctors say she'll be in a coma for at least a couple of weeks."

There was silence at the other end of the line. Steven opened his mouth to repeat himself, only to be startled by the most fearsome roar bellowing from the PokeNav speakers.

"That _asshole_!" Steven could hear items being shoved off his desk, noting the familiar crash of glass shattering on the wooden floors. "I told them to _not touch civilians_! If the girl had died, the plan would have been in _ruins_! Who is he? When I find out who—"

"—you'll let Archie deal with him," Steven said, interrupting the tirade. "Archie can't afford to lose another member, not with the recent loss of two of them."

"I don't fucking _care_ , Steven! _Her_ life is worth _ten thousand_ measly grunts!" Nevertheless, Chad seemed to calm down, his breath settling back into its usual pace. "Steven, your orders are just to watch over Titania. You are merely gathering intel on her for now. I will tell you when to bring her to HQ."

"But I have to keep working for the company."

"Last I heard, your father wants you out of the building. You've always been a workaholic, you know."

"I am not a— _fine_ ," Steven said, biting his tongue. "I can work from anywhere with a wi-fi connection." He made a mental note to add that to the list of things he needed to talk over with his dad, who would no doubt be pleased with this turn of events. "The bigger problem is Titania."

"What, does she not like you?"

"No, that's not—"

"Then ask her to travel with you," Chad suggested.

"She's not allowed out of the house, and I doubt she will be after this incident with Team Aqua."

"Steven, what do you think your face is for? Convince her dad she'll be safe with you."

He snorted. "And then what, make her my girlfriend?"

Steven had said this rather sarcastically, but to his horror, Chad seemed all for the idea. "Why not? As long as you don't get attached, it should be fine for you to ravish her against your plush carpeting."

"I'm not you, Chad." He sighed. "But I'll consider the idea—of dating, not having sex."

"It's your loss. She's hot."

"That's beside the point," Steven said. "Now, I've been wondering—can you tell me what 'daddy' means? It's been bothering me since earlier."

"Ask Titania when she's your girlfriend. Bye!"

Chad ended the call and Steven rolled his eyes, then turned to walk back into the hospital.

* * *

" _You're lucky she's only in a coma, you idiot_!"

The Aqua cowered in front of his leader, blocking the nose he had barely patched up in the medic's office before Archie dragged him into the office. The Boss was _seething_ , meaning anything—and any _one_ —was a viable target for his heavy fists. He already felt like shit for not being able to complete his mission, but to have Archie ready to beat his ass into the Distortion World lead to another level of shame. What made it extra worse (if that could even be a thing!) was that the damn Magma Leader was watching the exchange from the corner of the room silently.

Damn it! "Boss, I fuckin' swear, that bitch—"

"—I don't want to hear it, Frank!" The man whimpered at Archie's yelling, but the leader clearly was not done yet. "You think I'd be _happy_ that you beat a girl within an inch of her life, then _poisoned_ her? Fuckin' hell, Frank!"

"B-but she broke my nose!" He argued back, gesturing to the heavy swathe of bandages.

"Oh yeah? Well, you broke her _ribs_ —and her _legs_! And her _arm_! And you _punctured a lung_! Not to mention, _you fucking poisoned her_!" Archie slammed his fist against the desk. "Damn it, Frank! I can't lose another man to the feds! You know keeping up without all personnel has been difficult!"

The man hung his head. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again. Just, please, don't kick me out."

At this, Archie let out a long sigh. "No one said anything about that. Head back to your bunk."

"Yes, sir." He quickly scuffled to the door, only to be called out by Archie one more time. He turned, afraid to look his leader in the eye. "Yes, sir?"

"You better hope that girl lives. If she dies, I won't kick you out, but I _will_ kill you. Clear?"

He gulped, then nodded. "C-clear."

Archie glared sternly, watching his subordinate hurriedly run away from the office room. As far as criminals went the guy wasn't totally bad, but he _did_ need to understand that even Aquas had some sort of morality. Besides, dealing with lawsuits wasn't his strong point.

"I feel like I need to bring that girl a gift," he said, musing aloud to the Magma leader, who was now standing next to him. He walked around the other man, then plopped down into his swivel chair, propping his legs up on the desk. "Do girls like Sharpedo teeth?"

"As much as they enjoy beehives, I am sure," Maxie responded dryly. "I must confess, however, that you, Archibald, former Team Aqua Special Teams _Assassin_ , would become so worked up over a subordinate's near-kill."

"You sayin' that I'm not supposed to have morals, just because of my past?" Archie cocked an eyebrow at the Magma. "I may have done what I did, but it doesn't mean I condone any of it. Life is such a precious thing, and I hate the kind of people who can so easily take it away."

"I find myself impressed," Maxie said. "Not only did you speak eloquently, but you also used the word 'condone.' This is new territory."

"Fuck off, Maxie. I got a Ph.D., too, you know."

"Is that supposed to impress me?" Maxie said. "Or is that something you use on women to make them mildly interested in you?"

Archie narrowed his gaze. "What, you need pointers, mega nerd? Here, let me give you a tip—sew your damn mouth shut. You're sexy until the bullshit starts flowing out of it."

"Point taken," the Magma leader said, shrugging nonchalantly. "So, on to the reason for my being here."

"Which, unfortunately," Archie said, "isn't to hate-fuck me into oblivion." He sighed dramatically, crossing his arms. "All you want to do is talk _logistics_. Fine."

Maxie froze, eyeing Archie with an expression of extreme confusion. Insult one moment, sexual advance the next. He secretly preferred the latter (not that he would admit it), but in any case, he didn't know how to respond. After a beat of silence, the Magma began to regain his posture. "Please, Archibald, be reasonable. There is no possible reason you and I…" He coughed, flushed a little, and then continued. "Moving on. What do you think of this?" He gestured, of course, to the tall stack of papers piled on top of Archie's desk.

"A lot of work."

"And about Chad?"

Archie sighed. "He literally made me eat dirt during my training days, so outside of work I hate the stupid brat. Can't deny that he's a smart kid."

"I can see that," Maxie said, nodding. "I have looked into his file and, much like Jonathan, you could call him a prodigy."

"But this plan, though?" Archie straightened up in his seat, placing his feet firmly against the ground. "I'll be honest, Maxie. I'm not totally sold on this plan of his."

"For once, I am in agreement," Maxie nodded. "He is a secretive young man, perhaps even more than Jonathan was. He may be intelligent, and he has the predisposition for leadership, but from what we've been told this is a rather grandiose plan."

"A plan we know nil about," Archie said, reaching up and taking the file at the top of the pile. "He's being pretty secretive, don't you think?"

"But Jonathan had a similar tendency," Maxie said. "Besides, we may consider ourselves a little more 'in the know' than many of our other colleagues. We snuck into the Archives, remember, eight years ago?"

"Under completely different pretenses," Archie murmured. "You found those files and got all giddy—about Weather Vein, right? The predecessor to this one?"

"Yes, because it was the plan that Jonathan had designed, but had failed." Maxie took a file as well. "We learned a lot that we probably should not have found out."

Archie gave a silent nod. The papers on Weather Vein…they were so gruesome that he'd almost taken it as a joke. But it wasn't a joke for thousands of families, who would never see their children grow up.

"Since Statum Nexus is modeled after Weather Vein," Maxie continued, "Then I predict that the next plan of action would be to find a Vessel."

"Weren't you listening in the meeting?" Archie rolled up the document, then smacked the paper against Archie's arm rather playfully. "The little shrimp said we weren't doing all that since the former plan already produced one."

"So we're going a search for this 'Vessel.' Better than creating one, I suppose."

There was a pause in the conversation. Maxie, believing the conversation had died off, turned to Archie to tell him that he was going to leave. (He had found out what he wanted, anyway: that Archie also was suspicious of this plan.) He found that Archie was simply staring at him with wide eyes.

"W-what is it?"

"This is weird," Archie finally said. "We're having a civil conversation."

Red brows furrow. "We've had those before."

"No way," Archie says, shaking his head. "This is the first time in all the years we've known each other. I think we're making progress."

"That is because you are refraining from making sexual passes at me," Maxie responded quickly. "If you're done, I'm going to leave."

"You know you want a piece of me, nerd," Archie crooned, grinning widely. "If you remember, we were in the Archives so that I—"

"Block out that memory!" Maxie demanded. "Right. _Now_. Archibald."

"Not gonna," Archie said. "It keeps me going through the day."

"I am leaving!" Maxie whirled around and turned to leave, only to feel a hand caress the curve of his behind.

"Shit, nerd. Nice ass."

Maxie whirled around and gaped at Archie, his face flushed a crimson red. "H-how dare—of all the indecent, lascivious—" Overloaded with a bunch of emotions that he did not care to dwell too deeply on, allowed himself to succumb to his desires: he swung his fist around, punching Archie square in the face, and stormed out.

Archie merely watched him go, staring through one eye, using his hand to gently massage the other that had been hit.

"I totally mean, it Maxie!"

* * *

Steven was slowly learning not to be amazed by Titania. First, there was the fact that she had been healing rather rapidly—someone with several broken bones does not heal from them in only a couple of weeks, and without any sort of complications. The poison had all but cleared out of her system, too; besides the fact that she was in a coma, everything about the girl was good and proper.

Second, the girl herself was far more interesting than he thought. Old stories, be it told by Norman, Caroline, or even little May or Max really clued Steven into Titania's personality. He figured out that she was kind to all, that she was a decent cook, that she really liked cheesecake, and that she really _did_ have a knack for getting into trouble. He learned that she could talk to Pokemon—something he'd have to test out when she woke up—and that, when she attended the prestigious Trainer Academy in Johto she had been at the top of her class. (Though she never went on to compete in League Tournaments.)

While he learned about the comatose Titania, however, he was also helping the Maple family adjust to this phase in their lives. They were temporarily relocated into a home usually rented out to Devon Corporation workers, with May and Max attending the local elementary school. Norman traveled back and forth from the Gym and Caroline worked as a florist at the shop just outside the city gates.

In the afternoons, when she got off work, Caroline would pick up the kids, then bring them over to the hospital. The kids were always afraid to enter Titania's room, often bursting out into tears, so Steven would always take a break from work to help keep them occupied. (So far, grooming Pokemon seemed to work the best.) Norman would come soon after, helping out where needed but mostly just sit and watch Titania sleep.

Steven, oddly enough, was there almost all the time. He had started out with daily visits, only coming to see if she were awake and if her vitals were good, but those quick visits eventually extended themselves, and he started bringing over various things so that he could work from her hospital room.

His presence must have been extremely baffling for the Maple couple, at least initially. Effectively, they had been strangers up until the incident; with Steven typing away at his laptop in their daughter's hospital room, from the start of visiting hours until the end, implied a close relationship that, in actuality, did not exist. While they always wanted the explanation, however, they never asked for one, simply accepting him as part of the picture.

Certainly, most of his intentions weren't good. He was watching over her, like a security guard protects museum artifacts, making sure that nothing could damage the goods. It was his orders, and he was simply following them. On the other hand, though, Steven couldn't deny that being around Titania, even a comatose one, was rather relaxing. He very much wished for her to wake up, though. He wanted to talk to the conscious Titania.

"Steven?"

The boy blinked, and suddenly he realized that he had wandered from the cafeteria to the rooftop. It had been raining a lot lately, and so the roof was a little slick. At night, like it was this very moment, one had to be careful or they could slip and get a concussion. "When…" he shook his head. "I haven't been up here in a long while."

"You all right?" Norman was watching him curiously. "You looked a little dazed," he said, continuing, "and I followed you just to make sure you didn't get into too much trouble."

"I was just thinking," he responded. "Ah, my dad came to visit today."

"Caroline told me," Norman said with a nod. "She said he was a very… _jolly_ man."

Steven chuckled. "That's him, all right." He gestured toward the bench off to their side. They sat. "He couldn't wait until she woke up to thank her for what she's done for Devon, but he did promise her that he'd lavish her rather kindly when she does."

Norman shook his head, turning his gaze to the night sky. "Knowing Titania, she'd probably refuse every last thing your father offered her—even cold, hard cash."

"Would she now?" How interesting, Steven thought. It got quiet again, and Steven tried to look at the spot where Norman had fixed his gaze—the Andromeda constellation.

"The sky looked a lot like this when she got her first Pokemon," Norman suddenly said. "We were living out by a lake at the time, and Titania loved to go down to the water—she told me that she was going to catch a Magikarp with her own hands. He chuckled. "She kept that up for about three months, swimming in the lake and trying to grab at passing Magikarp, though they were too fast for her."

Steven bit back a grin. So she had done that, too.

"So imagine my reaction when, right around dinnertime," Norman continued, "Caroline and I hear this blood-curdling shriek," Norman said. "I go out to check—Caroline's pregnant with May at this time, so she can only waddle slowly—and I find Titania on the shore of the lake, completely entangled with a wild Pokemon."

"Oh, which one?"

"A _Dratini_."

Steven nodded. He had gotten over the shock of Titania owning a Dragonair the first time he let the Pokemon out of their balls. Of course, the Pokemon all attacked at once, given that he was an unfamiliar man with their owner's Pokeballs, but calmed down the moment May and Max entered the room. Now, it's only Dragonair that squirts water at his face when Steven lets them out to play.

Norman laughed. "It turns out that the Dratini had been watching Titania swim after Magikarp and decided that it wanted her to be its trainer _just_ because of that," Norman continued to laugh. "Titania was so terrified, though. It took her a while to get used to Dratini's affectionate nature, but in the end, she accepted him and they became an unstoppable team."

"A Dratini. Wow." Steven leaned back into the bench. "I know that Dratini are rare, and that they prefer a certain type of person."

"That they do," Norman replied with a nod. "That girl is great with Pokemon—they all love her, and she loves them. If she had gone on a journey, she would have come home with the entire region in Pokeballs," Norman chuckled. The laughter quickly gave way to somberness. "You know, I was so worried about her well-being that I totally forgot that she, like her mother or me, are natural trainers. Getting out, growing up: this is the trainer experience. In my stubbornness, I focused only on the dangers it could bring her."

"As a father should," Steven said, patting Norman on the back. "You'd be a bad father, in my opinion, if you weren't thinking of Titania's well-being."

Norman sighed. "I want her to see the world that her mother and I grew up seeing. I want her to have the journey almost as bad as she wants to have one—I just… I'm so worried for her."

Steven was silent for a moment. Then, "Well, do you think you would be at ease if she had a traveling partner? That way, it's not just Titania on her own."

"That would be nice, but a little impossible," Norman said. "All her friends are in Johto."

"Well..." Steven felt his heart leap into his throat. This was the question that could possibly change everything for him. He was a little nervous.

"Well, what?" Norman asked.

"Why don't you let her travel with me?"

* * *

It's been what...forever? Sorry, everyone!

If you enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to review and/or send me a PM! I love hearing from you guys.

Until next time,

Khryseis


	3. Chapter 3

Long time no see! (whoops lol)

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 _The world around her smelled of moss and mud. No longer able to see, Titania rested her cheek on the tunnel floor, trying to take in as much sensory stimuli as possible— cold, damp earth permeating through her clothes onto her skin; the weight of the Mightyena's paw digging into her spine; the Pokemon's low growl in her ear; the Aqua grunt's triumphant laugh reverberating in the cave._

 _Well shit, she really_ was _going to die._

 _Titania comforted herself with the assurance that her Pokemon were out of harm's way. Torchic, undetected by the Aqua grunt and his Mightyena, had swiped her belt of Pokeballs the moment she hit the ground and made a run for it, following the protocol her family had put into place._

 _At least someone did._

 _As for the Devon Goods, the parcel was tucked under her body. If the Aqua grunt was going to get them—and given how things were going, he would—he would at least have to pry them from her dead body._

 _Yikes, dark._

 _She heard the Aqua grunt approach from behind. "Oh, look, Mightyena, a snack."_

 _Titania's first thought was to assume that he was talking about her; however, the chill in the cave felt dissipated, replaced by the familiar warmth of Torchic's body pressed up against the side of her face. Very faintly—as her hearing was beginning to go, too—she heard Torchic urgently peeping, urging her to get up._

 _Why did it come back?_

 _Titania met Torchic's peeping with her own grunting, willing the chick to save itself, only for it to respond with louder screeches and the intensifying of heat. It was clear: no matter what, Torchic would refuse to budge._

" _T-torch…" Titania couldn't even string together letters anymore, and her vision had all but turned dark and hazy. She wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer._

 _The Aqua grunt's command reverberated in the cave."Finish her off, Mightyena!"_

" _Ru…n…"_

 _And then she was suspended, consciousness oscillating between dark nothingness and flashes of orange, of intense heat and heavy smoke—_

* * *

—And then, bright white.

The first thought that crossed Titania's mind was that she felt underdressed. (Sure enough, when she sat up, she found that she was wearing a thin cotton robe and little else.) The second—which was more of an epiphany—came after taking stock of her surroundings: the supernaturally white linoleum floors and walls; the beeping machines behind her; the tubing that spiraled out from bags filled with various liquids; the distinct iodoform smell that clung to her skin; the desk next to the bed with cards that read "Get Well Soon!"

She was in a hospital.

Titania inched forward, swinging her legs over one side of the bed to a more comfortable position. She inspected her arms, noting the IV drips attached to the back of her hands, and tried to piece together how she ended up in the hospital in the first place.

Slowly, it came back to her:

The man from Devon looking for help.

Chasing after the Aqua grunt.

The darkness of the cave.

The burn of poison.

Torchic.

"I'm…alive." Her hand went to her left shoulder, where the Mightyena had poisoned her. Feeling no trace of a scar, she pulled the cotton fabric down to inspect the area. As suspected, there was nothing but smooth, unblemished skin, as if the incident had never occurred.

"Miss…Titania?"

She had been so focused on herself that she hadn't noticed that another person—a young nurse in dark blue scrubs—had entered the room. Titania quickly pulled the robe back over her shoulders.

"Hello," she said, greeting the nurse with a wave. "I'm—"

"—awake," the nurse supplied. Large tears had pooled in her eyes, and she swiped at them. "Are you really awake?"

"I'm ninety-five percent confident." Titania flashed what she hoped was a smile, which the nurse responded to by flinging herself at Titania, sobbing loudly.

"There is a god up there!" the nurse exclaimed. "Let me get your vitals first—no, let me get the doctor—no, your parents—oh!" She let go, furiously wiping the tears that were falling from her eyes. "I'm so happy!"

"Uh… really?"

"Of course!" The nurse pulled away, then began checking on the IV drips attached to Titania's body. "We were all waiting for you to wake up from your coma—the medical staff, your family, the handsome trainer—every day for the past month!"

"I was out for that long?"

"Your condition was really bad," the nurse said. She rose and walked over to the computer mounted next to the bed and began to type something on her medical file. "Rustboro's hospital is known for being the most up-to-date equipment and techniques, but we almost lost you a couple of times."

The nurse, finished on the computer, patted Titania on the shoulder. "Right. So I'll be right back to take out your feeding tube—I'm sure you'd like to eat actual food now that you're awake. The doctor in charge of you will also be coming by to inspect you, so just sit tight."

Titania watched the nurse go; when the door closed, she turned to the small table with the cards on them. She picked up the one closest to her—it was a handmade card made with printer paper and bright markers, and had a drawing of two people on the front—a girl holding a tray of cookies and a boy with two glasses of milk.

The inside read, " _Get well, Tae-tae! I miss you more than May. I want you to make me cookies again. You shouldn't sleep so much, I read somewhere that it's actually bad for you!- MAX_ "

A small smile stretched out on her face. She placed the card down on the able and picked up another one. This one had a bowl of ramen and a slice of cheesecake on the front, both with little happy faces drawn on them.

Inside: " _I'll give You the last slice of cheesecake next time, I promise! Please wake up, I'm feeling sad…is it mY fault? I'm sorrY, big sister! Please wake up? Please? I promise I won't take Your stuff anYmore… - MaY_

 _p.s. I obviouslY love You more"_

Titania laughed, then set the card back where she got it. After a moment of deliberation, she grabbed a card with three sunflowers sketched on the front.

"If this is mom's…" she flipped the card on the back. "There, her signature." She peered at the large sunflower drawn on the back of the card, spying her mother's scrawl hidden in one of the petals.

Slowly, she opened the card. On the left side, it read: " _Titania, sweetheart, you may have your father's stern mouth and hair color, but you have my beauty, my talent, and (apparently) my habits. There's so much I wish to tell you. Wake up soon, Titania. We all miss you, but nobody misses you more than me. -Mom"_

On the right, far more concise: _"I'm sorry. Wake up soon. - dad"_

At this point the smile had left Titania's face, replaced by a somber expression weighed down by the heavy blanket of her actions. In the first place, she shouldn't have run away from home. Despite her own beliefs, she knew that her father meant the best for her. He was being protective, and she disrespected—no, _dishonored—_ all of his sacrifices by running straight into danger.

It felt wrong that she ended up okay.

For a long while, Titania ruminated in that train of thought, quickly building up a wall of self-hatred. It was enough to render her deaf to the sounds of the door opening, the shoes tapping as they made their way across the room, of the gentle rustling of fabric and the creak of the bed as someone sat next to her.

It was only when someone grabbed her hands that Titania came back to reality. Expecting the nurse, she turned her gaze to the person's face.

She did not expect to find Hoenn's #1 bachelor, Steven _fucking_ Stone, to be the face attached to the hand.

Steven grinned. "I take it my presence is unexpected?"

"You bet your pretty face it is," she murmured.

He laughed again, and the sound filled her chest with warm, fuzzy feelings, the same way hot cider melted away the cold of winter. Titania attempted to maintain aloof, ignoring the blush crawling up her neck—even as Steven cupped her face in his hands.

"Your hands are warm," Titania said, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. She immediately wished she had said something smarter.

"I came the moment I heard you had woken up." Steven's voice dropped to a low murmur. "My heart dropped when I found you in the Rusturf Tunnel, and I came here everyday, hoping that you'd wake up."

Titania peered up into Steven's eyes. "You…you did?"

He nodded, and his eyes glimmered with an emotion that Titania couldn't decipher. "Of course I did," he said. "I care about you."

This time, Titania couldn't fight the rush of heat that coursed through her. Heart thumping wildly in her throat, she put space between them, turning her eyes away. "You're exaggerating. We hardly know each other."

"I don't have to know you all that well to care about you," Steven said. When Titania remained silent, he leaned in. "Titania."

Despite her (relatively) cool demeanor, Titania's tolerance toward the Devon heir's gentle—and, dare she say it, _intimate_!—behavior was waning. She knew she was getting swept along, and that if she let things continue on this way she might end up doing something she would regret. Like kissing him.

"Titania, look at me."

She was overreacting, she concluded with a shake of her head. Titania had always admired Steven Stone as a trainer, so their close proximity was just her admiration on steroids. It had to be. There was no semblance of romance between them, and _especially_ not when she just woke up from a month-long coma.

"Hey." His arms wrapped around her; when she looked up at him, she saw that his lips were turned up in a small smile. "Welcome back to the real world," he said.

Oh, curse that handsome man for making her feel things!

Titania formulated what to say to him—a snarky quip? Mild flirtatious teasing?—but found herself drawing a blank. So instead, she wrapped her arms around him and returned the embrace. (A moment of weakness; who _wouldn't_ want to hug him?)

He didn't seem to mind, so they stayed that way, not speaking, just taking in the sensation of the other person. Titania wished the they could stay like this for—

" _Shhhh! Kids, cover your eyes! Your big sister is doing something naughty, and I need to get a picture of it!_ "

There was a flash; the pair immediately pulled apart, turning towards the voice—there, they found Caroline, phone in hand, peeking from just beyond the door. Clinging to her legs, May and Max were staring, the former with wide, excited eyes, and the latter with disgust.

"Mom!" Titania's face burned. "How long—"

"—Not long enough to get a good picture," Caroline said, sighing sadly as she looked down at her phone screen. "But just enough to make your father a little woozy." She giggled. "You know how some fathers can be."

Titania looked around. "Where is he?"

"I'm here." Norman appeared in the doorway, standing behind Caroline. He looked pointedly at Steven. "I like you, Steven, but please…move."

The boy quickly obliged, moving towards the door. "Sorry, I got too excited." He waved at Titania, grinning sheepishly. "I'll give you all some space."

The door closed. When he was out of earshot, Titania spoke.

"We weren't doing anything," Titania assured them. "I was just…"

She trailed off, eventually falling silent. Her gaze went to the floor, where the card from her parents had fallen. The guilt and self-loathing that had disappeared with the appearance of the Devon heir returned when he left, hitting her with double the force.

"I really screwed things up this time, didn't I?" She gripped at the sheets on the bed. "I'm sorry that I made things hard for you again."

The silence that followed was heavy and, unable to stand its pressure, she continued to babble on.

"I don't know what I was thinking," she said. "You've given me everything. You've taken care of me, fed me, put a roof over my head—you uprooted the life and career you had set up in the Johto region because of me! I am a thorn in your side."

She heard her mother gasp. "Titania, you are _not_ a burden."

"But I _am_!" Titania said. "I have been a pain in the ass since the moment I was _conceived_! I am the reason we have to lay low, that we have to rely on the League for protection. I know that," she said, her heart rate spiking and her shoulders heaving, "and I was still _dumb enough_ to think that it was okay to run away!"

She could taste the tears as they streamed down her cheeks, salty and bitter all at once. "And to top it all off, I thought I could take on someone from the teams. Instead, I got poisoned, had bones broken, and almost died!"

A guttural sound escaped from Titania, and she held her head in her hands, weeping loudly. She cried in silence, her family clustered by the entrance of the hospital room, herself on the opposite side of the room.

"I should have died," she said, once her sobs quieted. "No…I wish I had died. It would have been better for everyone."

Small feet tapped against the floor; Titania turned her head towards the sound; through bleary eyes, she could make out May's small figure running towards her.

And then May slapped her.

"Don't _ever_ say that!" Because the shock was greater than the pain, all Titania could do was stare at the small child that was chiding her. "No one wishes you were dead!"

"Uh, _I_ wish I was dead," Titania responded, pointing to herself. "Am I no one?"

May let out a sound akin to that of steaming teapot. "No! You don't count as anyone in this situation because you're depressed!"

"You're being rude."

"I don't care!" May put her hand on her hips. "Even if you made mistakes, that doesn't mean we're going to throw you out like garbage!" Her bottom lip began to tremble; her voice, once strong and sturdy, began to shake and falter. "Big sister, don't you know that we love you? You're our family!"

Titania averted her eyes. "I know," she said softly.

"Then why don't you think we'd forgive you?" Fat tears began to fall from May's eyes. "We love you so much—we've missed you so much—why do you talk like you don't matter to us?"

"I'm sorry," she said immediately, wiping May's face. "I shouldn't talk like that about myself. Do you forgive me?"

May nodded, then wrapped her arms around Titania in a tight hug. "Of course, Big Sister! I'll always forgive you!"

Titania ran her hand through May's hair. Turning her attention to the rest of her family, she lowered her head in apology. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run away."

"Oh, sweetheart." Caroline came running over, crushing both of her daughters under her body. "What's there to forgive?"

"Uh… a lot."

"Oh, forget the technicalities!" Caroline squeezed tighter. "I'm just so glad you're finally out of that coma!" Titania felt her mother's tears soaking into her cotton robe. "We knew that you'd be all right, but the anticipation of waiting…" She trailed off into soft whimpering, silencing whatever words were on Titania's tongue.

TItania's gaze turned from her mother's figure to Max and to her father, who were on the opposite side of the room. Max's face crumpled, and he immediately ran over to her, scrambling up on the bed and latching onto her arm.

Her father was hesitant, hands trembling faintly at his side. Eventually, instead of coming to where the rest of them were, he lowered his head.

"Dad?"

"I'm sorry, too." Norman straightened up, then walked over to them. "I was far stricter on you than I ever wanted to be."

"But that's because you wanted to keep me safe," Titania said.

He shook his head. "Even so, I was too authoritarian about it."

"What does that mean?" Titania heard May whisper to Max.

"I think it means 'acting like a dictator,'" came the response.

"What's a dictator?"

"A bad person."

"But dad's not a bad person!"

"He's not," Titania said in agreement. "Dad, you just did what you thought best. I was just acting out." She sighed. "I've decided—when I'm discharged, I will go back to the gym and start taking over responsibilities as the next gym leader."

Titania expected her father to be overjoyed—after all, that's what he wanted in the first place. His expression, however, held no shred of happiness; in fact, with his slight frown and furrowed brow, he looked more uncertain than anything.

"Dad?"

"No, I…" Norman sighed. "Let's not talk about that now. What's important is that you've finally woken up."

And then he joined the family group hug, leaving Titania no time to think about her father's odd reaction.

* * *

One interesting facet of the safe house Looker and his team had been stationed in was that the rooftop, once a plain and dusty attic, had been transformed into a magnificent observation deck—bulletproof glass walls, comfortable couches, _two_ telescopes powerful enough to see individual blades of grass from the top of a ten-story building, all sorts of fancy gadgetry Looker had no idea how to work, and a _fully-stocked kitchen_. It was, of course, advertised as an observation deck for stargazing to innocent civilians, though its real purpose was to keep tabs on the area and any suspicious individuals in it.

Which, given that the safe house was in a remote part of the Hoenn region, was _everyone._

Looker tiptoed up the stairwell leading to the observatory, trying not to awaken the others in the house. He had gotten into the habit of doing yoga at sunrise—an ethereal experience in his opinion, especially when done up on the observation deck. (The beauty of the sunrise without the biting morning chill.)

When he reached the top of the stairs he was surprised to see that someone was already there. Peering in, Looker recognized the form of Agent Hale, staring out into the horizon with a somber expression.

Feeling no need to tiptoe around the new recruit, Looker called out to him. "The sun comes up early here." He crossed the room and stood next to him, his yoga mat tucked under his arm. "It's one of the great things about the Hoenn region."

Hale nodded slowly, never turning his gaze away from the scene. "I've been told the sunrises are the most beautiful from Mt. Chimney."

"That they are, Agent Hale!" After a pause, Looker asked, "Have you been in here long?"

"Probably." Hale gave a nonchalant shrug. "I couldn't sleep, so I eventually gave up trying and decided to get some work done."

"Oh? And what have you found?"

Hale let out a long sigh. "Not much." He gestured over to the table, where his laptop lay open. "The most recent thing to date is a robbery from a little over a month ago, when a member of Team Aqua attempted to steal technology from the Devon Corporation—the Devon Goods."

"Ah, yes. From what we know, that technology was ordered by Captain Stern, who has a new project in the works. The guys downstairs think it's a submarine this time."

There was a pause; then Hale's eyes widened. "Of course—Captain Stern is an oceanographer. Team Aqua would be keeping tabs on someone like him, especially since they're so water-inclined." He ran to his laptop, then opened up a new document and began typing furiously. "I'll look into that."

"Good." Looker nodded. "Anything else?"

"I came across a document that hints that several Team Aqua and Team Magma members are former Devon Company employees," Hale said. "Is there any possibility that Devon is supplying the Teams with members?"

At this, Looker laughed. "That would give the current president a heart attack. I don't think that's what is happening—if anything, the choice to jump ship was probably a personal one. "

"So, rather than a willing supplier," Hale suggested, "Devon is a victim of circumstance."

"Comes along with being one of the best tech companies in the world," Looker said. "Rumor has it that there's plans of branching out into new territory for them." He looked around, then leaned in to whisper, "I heard they want to branch out into the entertainment industry."

"For some reason, I'm not surprised. They probably want to make use of the handsome face of the president's son."

"Perhaps, though I think that if they saw your face, they'd want to recruit you as well."

Hale laughed. "I'm no good with performing arts, sadly."

"Oh, but you could say the same about some of the idols and actors out there right now," Looker said. "But back to business—I would suggest broadening your search. Maybe look up former members? Given the history of the group, there must be quite a few of them who might know about the going-ons of the group."

Hale suddenly wanted to know who Looker was talking about in the entertainment industry; however, he decided not to press it. "Sure, but do you think I should keep the search to those who recently left? They would have the best idea of what's currently going on."

"If the teams are planning something, either together or separately, then it might be something that's been in the works for a long time," Looker said. "Gather intel from as many people as you can, even if they're members from almost twenty years ago. You'll find your link."

By this time, the sun had begun to peek over the treetops. They fell into silence, basking in the sun of the new day.

* * *

" _You know, you could have answered me ten calls ago. Is this why you're single, Steven? Because you're so damn hard to contact?_ "

Steven sank into his chair with a sigh, deeply regretting that he chose to leave dinner to pick up Chad's call. He wouldn't have taken the call—the Maple family was lodging with them, and he wanted to be a good host—but after he spent thirty straight minutes with the PokeNav vibrating in his pocket he finally excused himself and retreated to his study.

"I was in the middle of dinner," he said, responding stiffly. "We have guests over, so I would appreciate it if you could be brief. Or, if you would prefer, I could call you back later."

" _You wouldn't call me back even if I paid you to do it. But anyways, I'm due for a report from you—let daddy know all the juicy details._ "

"The only thing to note is that Titania was discharged from the hospital today, and that we'll be setting off for Dewford in a week or two." He frowned. "There is nothing 'juicy'. And, once, again, you are not my father."

" _Boring! Well, whatever. Later, bitch—"_

"—Chad." He waited for the call to end, expecting Chad to hang up, as he usually did. But he didn't (an extremely rare occurrence!), so he took the chance to speak. "I need more information on this mission. You can't expect me to operate blind."

" _And if I am_?"

"Then you're crazy." He rose from the chair and slowly began pacing back and forth. "I can't do this mission unless you give me some background."

" _You don't have a choice in the matter, remember? I'm blackmailing you._ "

"Then could I at least get some detail on Titania?" Steven asked. "For example, _who_ exactly Titania is? Why she's so special that she needs a body guard—me—at all times? Or maybe even what the IO is trying to pull this time around?"

His inquiry was met with laughter. " _You think I'm going to divulge classified information to_ you? _For fuck's sake, Steven, all you have to do is make sure she isn't dead when you deliver her to me. This isn't rocket science._ "

Steven grit his teeth, fighting the urge to hang up. "Look, Chad. I have every right to know. I may not be doing this mission willingly, but as a member of the Covert Special Teams, I think I have that privilege."

" _Not after what you did two years ago._ " Steven froze mid-stride as Chad's tone turned icy. " _After that shit, Steven, you're on a need-to-know basis—and I've decided that you don't need to know_ anything _. I don't want to hear another peep from you. Am I clear?_ "

Chad didn't even bother to say his farewells, hanging up before Steven could formulate a response. Steven ran a hand through his hair and let out a long, heavy sigh.

He was no longer in the mood for dinner.

* * *

Titania found herself staring into the flames of the fireplace, slowly gathering the thoughts she wanted to voice. With May and Max asleep in one of the guest rooms, and Steven and Mr. Stone off doing some work-related thing, she had finally managed to get some private time with her parents.

She had been meaning to bring up the topic ever since she woke up from her coma, though she instinctively understood that she shouldn't talk about it in the hospital, or in front of her siblings. Talking about her early childhood had been a taboo subject, especially after May had been born; her appearance in the world signified a new start for the Maple family, meaning all traces of their life before her had been locked away.

But with the most recent events, Titania realized that not knowing the past might be far more dangerous.

She gathered that her parents knew what she wanted to talk about—when she stepped into their room, asking them to meet her in the lounge a couple of doors over, their expressions became somber, and they went without a word.

For a while, they didn't speak. Titania kept her back to them, eyes watching the fire; they sat together, watching her, and she could feel their gazes on her back.

She gathered her courage. "What did they do to me?"

Silence. When she turned to face her parents she noticed that they had stiffened, eyes opened so wide she thought that their eyes were going to fall out into their laps.

Right, maybe she shouldn't have lead with that.

"I was discharged from the hospital with a clean bill of health," Titania said, trying to backtrack. "I think that's great, especially considering the condition that I was in when I went in—but I'm having a hard time figuring out as to why that happened."

"Medical technology is rather advanced," her mother said. "Many people live longer, healthier lives thanks to the rapid improvement of—"

"—maybe," she said, interrupting, "but if I'm being honest I think there's something else."

"Something else?" Norman asked, feigning ignorance.

Titania shook her head. "I can't live in ignorance anymore," she said. "I need to know— _What did Team Aqua and Team Magma do to me?_ "

* * *

Steven had seen the Maple family in the lounge and, freed from his work duties, considered joining in on their conversation. (If anything, he wanted to convene with Titania and work out a systematic plan for a tour of Hoenn—since he was to be her guide, he wanted to make sure that they got to go to all the places she wanted to leave her footprints in.)

He had been at the doorway, and was about to announce his presence, but stopped when Titania's question reached his ears.

" _What did Team Aqua and Team Magma do to me?_ "

Immediately, he retreated into the hallway, where he listen, but not be seen.

He wanted to know the answer to that question, too.

* * *

... hi friends *sweats nervously*

Wow, I'm rusty. I really meant to update at least five more times in 2017, but life happens and I had to put graduating first. This is a passion project of mine, so I do believe I'll be updating this fic until it's complete.

But thank you for reading this chapter! Please let me know what you think!

Until next time,

Khryseis


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